Our family was blessed with a miracle in 2014 when we learned after seventeen years of infertility we were expecting a baby. This little miracle would bring along an extra special combination of chromosomes aka Down syndrome. We couldn’t imagine the joy we had in store when he joined our family. Every milestone has been a celebration and we’ve learned to appreciate every moment.

When our family began to discuss adoption we knew we wanted to give a child with Down syndrome a home where they would know love and acceptance. We wanted to offer a home where they could thrive, grow, and know the love of a family.

After looking into the adoption process, we came across Reece’s Rainbow. After researching international adoption and learning the living conditions of children in orphanages our hearts were led to adopt via this route. We felt this was the way God was directing our path.

We are so excited to be welcoming a new child home! Our journey is set before us and we are ready for the joys and challenges.

9/14/2017 — TRAVEL DATES RECEIVED; OCT 5

$16,176.95
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Alapaki and Joanna got married in 2009 and spoke of the desire to have a “larger family”. God has honored that desire and by 2013, they had 3 young children. But God knew of a little boy half a world away that needed a family and in 2014, Joanna traveled to Ukraine to bring home a little boy to grow their family to 4 children. God smiled and blessed them with another baby in 2015 and so the number became 5. Joanna and Alapaki agreed, they had very full hands and with a full mini-van, it was time to call it quits. Well, God is smiling again and stirred in their hearts for another little boy half a world away who wants nothing more than to be part of a family. They are overjoyed at the prospect of this little boy joining their crazy family and a bigger vehicle to accommodate! So please pray for them as they step out on this journey for wisdom, discernment, and peace. Thank you!

Mark and Brenda Simmons have been married for twenty years and have five biological children ages ranging from 3 to sixteen. They have always had a heart for children and although having a large family had always been part of their plan, they had not considered that adoption was part of their life story. God was constructing other plans though, and had been working in their lives for many years preparing their hearts to love and care for others in need. They initially pursued helping children in need through the foster care system. After completing their last foster care class though, they came across the Reece’s Rainbow website quite by accident. They immediately felt as if they were being led in the direction of special needs adoption. They were both drawn to siblings, Cody and Caren, and became convicted to make these beautiful children part of their family. Mark and Brenda are blessed to be surrounded by family and friends who love and support their values and their desire to grow their family through adoption. God has always guided with love and faithfulness. Mark and Brenda and their children are so excited to be a part of Gods leading in this wonderful journey of adoption. Please help them bring Cody and Caren home soon!

7/18/2017 — APPT DATE AUG 23

$1,526.96
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Kathy lives in West Michigan, where she was born and raised. Kathy was introduced to adoption – especially international adoption, and Reece’s Rainbow, when her daughter decided to adopt a little girl with Down syndrome from Eastern Europe. Her daughter and granddaughter returned home in December 2015. While following her daughter’s adoption and the year since, Kathy has helped as many families as she could, financially and prayerfully. She has also advocated for many children in need of families. Reading story after story about the life altering effects of adoption – for the child and parents – has been an inspiration to her.

After reading about the conditions children who have aged out face, and knowing those children would never know the love of a family, she knew she needed to do more. For the last few months Kathy has been contemplating and praying on what more she could do to help these children. So she is excited to announce that she is going to bring ‘Lana’ home before she ages out and loses the chance to live happily ever after knowing the love and joy of having a family!

Kathy raised her daughter as a single parent and knows the struggles it involves and the additional work it requires, but she decided that now is a good time to adopt an older child who is also from the same country where her granddaughter is from. Like her granddaughter, Lana rocks that awesome extra chromosome!

Any prayers and support, financially or emotionally, are greatly appreciated during her adoption process!

Mike and Theresa Grimes met in a tiny college town in Emmitsburg Md. We have 8 wonderful sons ranging from 28-8 years old. While there is never a dull moment at our home we know we have lots of love to share. People keep telling us “your plate is full” our answer is “We have a lot of room in our hearts”.

Both Mike and Theresa always wanted a daughter and are thrilled to be getting her through the blessing of adoption.

We are so happy to have found Reeces Rainbow and are thankful for all of the support from this amazing community.

“Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for forgotten by everybody, I think that is much greater poverty than the person that has nothing to eat.”
– Mother Teresa

Dennis & Cindy have been married 38 years and have raised 8 biological children ages 36 to 19 and 7 beautiful grandchildren. They started their journey of adoption 4 years ago with their little girl Adalyn in Russia, just 5 days after they returned home the ban became law. For a year with the other Russians parent they tried to bring her home and through the journey were open to children God would bring before them. They still Believe, Trust and Stand on Faith and Hope for the orphanage Gates in Russia to reopen for their little girl and all the other orphans that are caught in the ban. On Jan. 7, 2014 they stepped out to adopt their two little ones, Abraham and Sarah, biological siblings from Ukraine. Then the war broke out and Abraham and Sarah were in an orphanage in one of the 3 cities where the war was, but they still continued.

On May 7 their dossier was submitted and on June 7 they got travel dates. But joy soon turned to wait, it was unsafe to travel to their children because of the war. But they stood Believing in Faith against everything that was reported , because God continued to speak to Cindy, guiding her in each step, with clear messages of Hope and Promises. In July they found out Russia came in and tried to kidnap their children and the other 60 children in the orphanage but they were stopped. The next day the children were evacuated North to a safe region. For 6 weeks they heard nothing. Then in August God gave Cindy a date Sept. 27 and He also told her they would be home by CHRISTmas. On September 26 Cindy missed Nancy’s phone call and didn’t know it till 3 hours later. When she called Nancy, she was told the team thinks they have found a way be prepared to travel anytime. Cindy knew something was going to happen soon because of the 27 but it was still the 26, then Nancy told her it was the 27th in Ukraine! If Cindy had gotten the phone call 3 hours earlier it would not of been. Our Father is Amazing…

On Oct. 4 Cindy got the call to book her flight. She booked it for Oct. 11 and had 1 week to raise the rest of the funds because she couldn’t say anything until now and she couldn’t fundraise before because no one believed she would travel because of the war. Long story short God did provide all the funds on her 2nd trip. On her first trip she found out that their little girl had open heart surgery a week before, and was still in the hospital. After being in country 10 days their 21 year old son was in an air crash with 4 fractures in his back. She flew home for 7 days and then returned knowing her son would recover but healing would take some time.

On December 4, 2014, just like God said, Abraham and Sarah came home with their mommy and daddy. It has been a year filled with Miracles,Blessings and also some of the most difficult times they have ever gone through. Helping little ones heal from being in a war, with bombing, is heartbreaking; seeing their little girl who was neither walking or talking, who is now running and never stops talking. Hearing their little son now leading and Praying over his little sister in Prayer.

Now God is calling us to step out again for our little boy. God gave Cindy the name Ayden Samuel awhile ago and now we know who our little Ayden Samuel is. Once again God keeps speaking and confirming. So they are stepping out in Faith again, Trusting their Father in the journey. Little Ayden had a family committed who sadly had to release him and Cindy has been in contact with his first momma. God has a perfect plan for each of our lives and our children, His children and His timing is Perfect. We can’t always understand nor do we always have answers but in all of this we can Trust Him as He leads and guides us. They are Blessed that Ayden has large fsp, but they will still need to raise the rest of the funds. So they are stepping with joy into another journey to bring another little boy into their family and will be so humbly grateful to any help given for their little boy.

9/12/17 — APPT RECEIVED 10/3

$1,512.25
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Together since 2001, Seana and Dan thought they were following their dreams, taking on new challenges on the work and home front and living life to the fullest. By 2012 Dan had started his own business and they, with their two children, had moved away from NYC to the country to start a little homestead. Life was good and they felt like they were on the right track. Little did they know that in just a few years, their lives would burst open with even more challenges and possibilities.

2012 was also the year that Seana came across the Reece’s Rainbow website and became overwhelmed by the faces…she had always wanted to possibly maybe adopt, but adopting a child with special needs seemed daunting and way out of her league. At the time, turning away from the enormity of need, the overwhelming sadness was the easier thing to do.

Everything changed when their third child was born with a surprise diagnosis of Down syndrome in June 2014. The tender and fierce love that roared in their hearts opened up a new world–disability was no longer a scary or uncomfortable “other”–it was their son. And now they strongly felt that ALL life is precious, and that all lives have meaning and value.

Drawn back to the Reece’s Rainbow website, the faces became personal. Each of these precious children could easily be their child. Each of them deserved a family, and now their family felt completely capable and inspired. Now it was impossible to turn away.

Dan and Seana look forward to adding beautiful “Maeve” to their family. This gorgeous girl has captivated them since she was listed in early 2015. She will be their “baby” and will join their three children, who are thrilled and can’t wait to meet their little sister.

They are so thankful to Reece’s Rainbow, and all the people who work and advocate on behalf of these precious children.

8/16/17—FINAL TRIP AUG 26

$6,794.52
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Jason and Celeste Klassen were kids when they first met, but have now been married for 6 years. Once they decided they were ready for kids of their own, they decided to be a little unconventional! They wanted to start their family by adopting a child that needed a home, instead of making another one. They knew they wanted to adopt a child who needed medical care, but they didn’t understand this was “special needs.”

Once their homestudy was done in early 2015, they settled in for a long wait in the Bulgaria program. They were matched with sweet “Tenley” from RR almost immediately! “Tenley” – now Siobhan – came home in December of 2015. She was 4 years old, tiny, non-verbal, not mobile, and had a host of medical needs. Just over a year later she never stops talking or running around their little house. Her successful surgeries post-adoption have made her medical concerns a second thought.

The Klassen family knew they would adopt again, but due to unfortunate circumstances during most of 2016, they were not expecting to adopt again so soon. They made the decision after much prayer and felt very strongly that this was the right thing to do! This means that they have a significantly larger portion of their adoption to fundraise than last time. Every $10 will pay some postage, every $30 will cover a notarization, every $100 will dent an agency fee!

Jason, Celeste, and Siobhan are so excited to bring home a sibling very soon! They are fundraising hard and are so grateful for the support!

8/16/2017 — TRAVELING SEPT 10

$2,148.72
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Jarret and April have been married for 10 years with three biological children. Their youngest daughter, Amelia, who is two, has Down syndrome. Here’s their story:

We received Amelia’s suspected diagnosis of Down syndrome the day she was born. Basically a doctor walked in and said, “You know your daughter probably has Down syndrome, right?” We did not. Afterwards, we were bombarded with questions, hypothetical scenarios with what her future might look like, social workers, specialists, and a lengthy heart test. To say that our joy over having a beautiful and precious newborn was replaced with instant fear would be an understatement.

Fast forward two years and all that uncertainty and fear has been replaced with absolute joy. Our daughter is one of God’s greatest blessings to our family, bringing us laughter, love, frustration, and all the typical emotions a two-year old brings. Those painful days of medical terms and fear of the future are replaced with love and hope. During the early days of Amelia’s birth, I saw God’s hand in so many things. We emerged stronger and more faithful, and I know God has a plan for Amelia’s life.

So how does this relate to today? One day, I clicked on a link to help a friend who was raising money to adopt a little boy with special needs. At the site, I also saw a picture of a little girl who is one-years old and has Down syndrome. She was adorable. She reminded me of my daughter. However, this little girl’s life is vastly different from Amelia’s world. She lives in an orphanage in Eastern Europe, given up for adoption because she has Down syndrome. Her name is Emma. My heart ached for her.

I thought of Emma over the next weeks and months. I wondered what her daily life was like. I thought of Amelia and all of the support our family gives her. I wondered if Emma gets any support. I wondered if she has ever been outside of the orphanage. Who feeds her? Plays with her? Bathes her? I knew that she should not be growing up in an orphanage and someone should do something.

More time passed, and I prayed that “the someone” who should do something would. I felt God’s nudges that “the someone” might be us. I thought of the objections I had to this plan. First, we don’t have money saved for an international adoption, and it’s a long and complex timeline. I watched Emma’s profile. I was sure she would be adopted soon. I struggled. I wanted God to take this off my heart, and he did not.

So, here we are, in the middle of the process to try and adopt Emma. To be honest, we are scared, nervous, and excited. We are asking for your prayers for Emma and our family, and if led, we invite you to make a tax-deductible monetary gift to Emma’s Reece’s Rainbow account to help us bring her home as soon as possible. Together, we can change her life. We know God is asking us to trust in him. We hope you will join us on this journey, because if not us, then who, and if not now, then when?

Please note: Donating from a FB application on your iPhone may not work. A workaround is to open a new page (outside of Facebook or Facebook Messenger) and type in: vincent.paytheransom.org from your phone or computer. Thank you so much for your love and support for Emma!

8/10/2017 — FIRST TRIP COMPLETE; AWAITING COURT

$4,474.57
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

“Mari Rose” was born with Down syndrome and Congenital Heart Defect, because of this her family abandoned her at birth and now she lives in an orphanage. Luckily a non-profit in the United States found out about “Mari Rose” and her life threatening need to have immediate open heart surgery, they quickly raised the money and found a surgeon from the United States to go and successfully perform the surgery.

She had to spend weeks recovering from surgery without a family to love and care for her. She is a fighter and is doing great. The Collins are doing everything they can to bring her home to their loving family.

You and/or your company can make a tax deductible donation to help bring “Mari Rose” home to the Collins family. These donations will go directly to helping with adoptions costs in Eastern Europe. It is estimated that just the international costs for courts, paperwork, and in country fees will be $15,000.

Lee and Diana Collins met while on a high school graduation trip in 1994, and they knew right away that fate had brought them together! Over the next 23 years as a couple, 18 years of marriage, Lee and Diana created their fairy tale life.

They were blessed with three amazing biological children – two sons, ages 15 and 16, and one 8 year old daughter. Lee and Diana absolutely LOVE being parents, so naturally the thought of adding to their family has always been a topic of conversation.
They have an abundance of experience with children of all abilities through their work, and they have so much love to give.

While most people look forward to their children growing older and eventually moving out, Diana and Lee have always been quite the opposite. They have never felt the need for “easier days”, in fact, their best memories are filled with the laughter, chaos, and love, that only a house full of children can provide!

It was meant to be to find that beautiful little angel and she will be an extremely loved baby sister. They want to hold her in their arms and make sure she finally knows that from here on out, everything is going to be ok…she is home with her family forever ❤

Thank you for reading about “Mari Rose” and consideration of making a tax deductible donation to help reach the goal of $15,000. If your company has an employee matching program, please see if Reece’s Rainbow is on their list of non-profit organizations.

8/7/2017 — APPT on AUG 15

$15,353.68
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Christina and Bill have been blessed with eight biological children. Although for some people that’s “more than enough,” they do not look at life that way. It’s been quite a few years that they have been thinking about making their family even more blessed by adding one or more children with special needs to it. They have been following the journeys of friends who adopted challenged kids, and they both felt that was something they definitely wanted to do as well. Yet, their plans were placed on hold when in 2015 Christina was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thanks be to God, treatment was successful, and now Christina can consider herself cancer free. When she asked her oncologist for a letter specifically stating that she was medically fit to start an adoption process, the physician did not hesitate to say yes and give her a bill of good health. Still the Quicks decided not to be so extremely quick and give themselves a little more time following Christina’s treatment. Despite such determination, she kept on longingly going over the little faces of waiting children listed on Reece’s Rainbow. The family fell in love with a little girl with cerebral palsy in Eastern Europe. Sadly after months of thinking of her as their own, they were not able to proceed with adopting her. Their hearts were broken. After much searching and contemplation about how and when to proceed with adopting, one sunny morning, Christina saw a picture of a newborn baby boy with Down syndrome. The family knew right away that this child was the one meant for their family all along. The country they are adopting from now, is a quick process. They may be able to bring him home in 6 months if all the paperwork goes well! This leaves little time to fundraise, but time cannot be wasted as their new little boy has a heart defect that needs to be monitored and possibly fixed by experienced doctors here in the USA. We hope you will follow the Quicks along in this journey to bring home this sweet little baby and consider helping in whatever way you can.

8/7/2017 — APPT on AUG 15

$4,703.91
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Michael and Katie Manuel are proud parents to 5 (almost 6) amazing children. They started their family about 12 years ago when they welcomed home their first baby girl. Through the years they continued to have 2 more biological children. As they grew their family they never thought having 6 children, both through biology and adoption, was the journey they would take. But they knew all along they would adopt one day. Katie, has always had adoption on her heart even as a young girl. Both Michael and Katie share a heart for children with special needs and adopted their son, who was born with Down syndrome and a heart defect through domestic adoption. They continued to grow their family through adoption and welcomed home another son from Asia a few years later. Feeling like their family was complete, but still desiring to make a difference in the lives of orphans, the Manuel family decided to host a special 12 yr old girl over the Christmas holidays. Katie states “We saw her picture and knew she was special, we had no idea why we chose this specific girl, but we knew we were supposed to”. This amazing girl is known as “Layla” on Reece’s Rainbow. She is 12 years old and rocks an extra chromosome! Knowing her country has an aging out rule, they knew how important it would be to advocate for this sweet girl to find a family before she turned 14. She had a ticking clock on her future. The Manuel’s completely stepped into this process with Advocate only intentions. They have a special place in their heart for children with down syndrome and telling the world how amazing these kids can be. They had a plan to share her story daily so that the world could see how amazing she is, and she could find a forever family during her time in the U.S. Little did they know, she would steal their hearts. From day one, both the family and this sweet girl made a life changing connection. She filled their home with love and laughter every single day. Through much prayer and discussion, they knew what the right decision would be. Sweet girl was their daughter! This girl is a treasure! They could not imagine her fate if she was to remain in her birth country. Although it is apparent that she is well loved, because of her special needs, she would go to a special needs home at the age of 18. They also found out that she would be the very first child with Down syndrome to be adopted from this orphanage! They are so excited that a life in America is so bright and beautiful and full of opportunity for this sweet girl despite her needs. The Manuel family was so sad for their 4 weeks together to come to an end, but have great hope they will see each other again soon. They now have their daughter’s picture hanging on the wall. 3 sons and 3 daughters take their place in the frames of their home.

Michael and Katie are trusting the Lord for provision to bring their daughter back home. Funding another adoption was not the game plan for this family, but they know the Lord will provide through overtime, fundraising, and grants. Any support through prayer or monetary donation is highly appreciated.

8/10/17 —TRAVELLING LATE AUGUST

$10,197.00
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Hello! We are the Chinchak Family from Central Florida and we hope to be the Forever Family for a special little boy in Eastern Europe. It is such an honor to be returning to Reece’s Rainbow for this adventure.

Throughout 2015 we worked especially hard to earn the privilege to become the family to a little boy, also from Eastern Europe, who has Down Syndrome. We can not express how much he has brightened our lives and our home. What a joy it would be to add another child to our home.

Throughout the the upcoming year we will again be fundraising, making and baking, and sowing into the needs of other families and we are excited!

If you feel led to assist us in this journey we would appreciate anything and everything you can offer. God Bless and Happy New Year!

Duane & Kimber are not young parents. They have 4 children (10 yrs-31 yrs) & 14 grandchildren (11 months – 17 yrs). On any given day if you were to visit the Klopp house you would find many children at their home. They are not new to the special needs either, as they have twin grandsons with Williams Syndrome. Kimber also has a family member with Cerebral Palsy & her oldest brother was born with several birth defects.

One evening Kimber was on Facebook & saw a post shared from someone who had grown up in the same small town she had. His daughter & her family were working as missionaries in an orphanage. The blog was on Wide-Awake Family titled, “Fighting for my babies.” It was a night with little sleep & lots of tears after reading the blog. Kimber asked to join Wide-Awake Family on their Facebook page where she also learned about Reece’s Rainbows. She tired to hide the feelings she had for one of those precious little boys. She shed many tears over the next several months every time she thought about that little boy she had seen in the pictures & by now she had also seen a few videos with him in them as well. She went to other adoption pages but she found herself always looking for that “one” little boy.

For several months their prayers were for Isaiahu to find his forever family. They’ve shared many posts to family & friends about him & his need for a family. Then on Friday, March 4, 2016 there was another blog written, “Fatherless Friday.” This is when God let them know his family were none other than them.

Kimber & Duane had talked about adoption several times over the years. They decided to investigate the process of adoption & more specifically on this one little boy they feel is “the missing piece” in their family.

Please pray for Isaiahu’s adoption, that all will go smoothly & quickly so that they may bring this little boy home into a family full of love & security. The Klopps know that this little boy is worth it! The family is hoping to raise everything they need to cover adoption expenses between now & the beginning of September. They would be grateful for your support, either financially or through prayer, as they go after their little boy.

Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

8/2/17 — APPT on SEPT 11

$8,825.18
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

http://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/isaiah-225x300.jpg300225Michelle Zoromskihttp://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/officialrrlogo350web.pngMichelle Zoromski2016-06-22 13:58:312017-09-22 10:41:19ISAIAHU for the Klopp family -- OR

Rob and Julia Nalle have been happily married for 24 years, and have two biological sons: 22-year-old Benjamin and 18-year-old Elijah. They brought home their first adopted son, Aaron, in 2010. That first adoption turned out to be as life-changing for Rob and Julia as it was for Aaron; for it opened their eyes to the suffering of institutionalized orphans all over the world. Aaron’s institution was the saddest place Rob and Julia had ever seen, filled with lovable boys who didn’t deserve what was happening to them. The Lost Boys of Aaron’s world had no stimulation of any kind. They wasted their days in gloomy sheds— doing nothing, seeing and hearing nothing, idly waiting for the next meal or snack time to arrive. The sight made Rob and Julia want to help more of them find homes. Since bringing Aaron home, they have done their best to raise awareness and funds for special needs orphans overseas.

Their second adoption came in 2014, when they added John to their family. Though Aaron and John came from different regions and different families, they had the same name (Ivan), similar diagnoses and similar stories of abandonment and loss. Fortunately, John’s institution was far better than Aaron’s. Even so, it was more proof that any orphanage is a hard place to grow up.

After much prayer and consideration, Rob and Julia are adopting again. A little girl has need of a family, and the family with four sons has need of a little sister.

The Bloom family is heading back to adopt again, this time for one last extra special girl. This is an adoption built on miracles. Our family met her during a previous adoption. She was a lonely girl confined to a crib. Everyone thought she couldn’t be adopted. Everyone thought she had already aged out. Her health has been deteriorating quickly. Our family began making inquiries as to how we could care for her within her own country. We began talking about plans to move our family to her. Everyone thought she was ineligible for adoption. But we were wrong! It is not too late; she CAN be adopted. Her paperwork is being prepared now. This is just the beginning. Many more miracles are needed to get this special girl home where she can receive love and immediate medical care.

We have been racing through paperwork at record speeds. This is going to be a “hurry up and wait” process, where we rush as much as possible, then sit tight until her paperwork is finally completed. We are praying things move just as quickly on her end. She has waited in a crib for nearly 16 years, without hope. She has hope now. We are coming.

8/2/17—REFERRAL ACCEPTED

$17,521.34
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

The Turner Family would like to introduce you to a very special little boy. This is their child, Marcus!

Although they do not know Marcus yet, Carl and Martha are adopting him from Eastern Europe. What they do know about Marcus is this:

He has never known the warm and loving embrace of a mother, or the joy of a piggy-back ride from a father. He doesn’t know what it feels like to be tucked in and kissed goodnight, warm and safe in a caring home. He has yet to receive full medical attention, proper, nutritious food, a childhood that allows him to be a child and an environment where he can thrive and flourish and reach his full potential. He needs a loving family the most.

The Turners cannot wait to bring Marcus home, to hold him in our arms, to read stories with him, to watch him play with his big sister, to take him to Sunday School, and always provide a hand for him to hold as he grows. No words can capture the true joy and excitement we feel as we anticipate the blessing of his presence in our home.

Carl and Martha would like to invite you to be a part of our adoption. They have two goals, the first is to create a community of friends, family and neighbors, locally and globally, who are ready and excited to welcome our Marcus into their lives and will commit to pray for our family over the next few months. The 2nd goal is to raise funds to bring Marcus home. Thank you for joining the Turners in this journey both in prayer and in financial support.

The Schaus family is excited to be adopting for the first time. Chris and Amanda have been married for 15 years and have two beautiful biological children – Esme (10) and Gavyn (7). They are both teachers – Chris is a high school English teacher and Amanda is a Chairperson for Special Education. They enjoy spending time with family and friends, taking walks in the neighborhood, and snuggling up with a good book together. Life is full of extra curricular activities, church functions, and sports, but their hearts are not full yet.

For the last year Amanda and Chris have been discussing adoption and Andre’s picture continued to resurface. But on October 23, 2016, a Facebook post by another Reece’s Rainbow adoptive parent, Natalie Tena, who was raising funds for Andre’s Christmas Miracle Maker sealed the deal and they haven’t turned back since.

The Schaus family is excited to welcome Andre into their home and their family and friends could not be more supportive. They are currently looking for prayers and support to make this adoption financially, emotionally, and spiritually successful. Andre is already a member of their family in heart and mind. Please consider partnering with them to bring him to his forever home.

7/13/2017 — TRAVELING AUG 14

$9,747.44
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Krista has worked in private (domestic and international) adoptions as well as Social Service adoptions for her entire 15 year career. Krista is an only parent to an 8 year old son who has always wanted a little brother. They have often discussed expanding their family through adoption, however were looking at options through the foster care system; but the doors were always closing. On June 30, 2016 Krista was looking through Reece’s Rainbow photo listing and saw her son! He is a beautiful little boy, with Spina Bifida. She was shocked and surprised and after wrestling with it for a few days decided to bury it deep and write it off as a “crazy thought.” However, she could not stop thinking about those big brown eyes and dreamed about bringing him home. After almost three months she was completely broken and realized that she was not just imagining a fairy tale. She was hearing the Lord speak to her that this was her son! She needed to put her worries away and fully rely on God.

All the worries and anxieties: How would she pay for this as on a single income? What will her family think? Will her coworkers be angry that she is not adopting from the system she works for? How will she meet the needs of this special little boy who deserves so much? After thinking and obsessing about these questions over and over for days, into the wee hours of the morning, she finally realized that NONE of that is up to her! There was absolutely nothing she could do to control those things, but needed to be obedient. The only way that any of this would happen was in her absolute surrender and faith that God would provide. She keeps going back to II Corinthians 12:9: in my weakness His power is made perfect; His grace is sufficient. Krista is working on putting her worries away and fully relying on God to make this precious little boy her son!

Jared and Michelle Graves have been happily married for 11 memorable years. They have been fortunate enough to have 3 biological sons, Andrew (16), Evan (12), and Jake (9). They are hoping to add just one more boy to their family, Joseph. Michelle comes from a large family of four sisters, two brothers, and nine nieces and nephews. Jared on the other hand not as big, he had one sister. Both families are waiting opened arms for Joseph to make his way ho me. When Michelle first started researching the idea of adoption, which they have considered for many years, Joseph caught her heart and she instantly knew that he was going to be her son and the newest addition to their family. Joseph is seven years old and has Down syndrome, but that is exactly what Michelle and her family wanted and needs. Their youngest son, Jake, also has Down syndrome and has changed their lives in unimaginable ways. The Graves family is fighting with everything they have to adopt Joseph. The family has raised money and collected hundreds of shoes for a fundraiser that helps those in need. They want more than ever to bring Joseph into their lives and nourish him with love and affection, because that is what every child deserves.

After learning that Joseph had recently passed away, the Graves family took some time to regroup — and are now moving forward with adopting Ryder.

7/18/17—APPT on JULY 27

$14,490.79
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

http://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/officialrrlogo350web.png00Michelle Zoromskihttp://reecesrainbow.org/wp-content/uploads/officialrrlogo350web.pngMichelle Zoromski2016-10-19 10:11:412017-07-22 15:56:05RYDER for the Graves family -- IN

This family is so excited to once again be adopting. They would greatly appreciate your prayers and would welcome any financial support as they race to try and get Bentley home to treat his cancer and Clara before she ages out in March!

6/20/17 — TRAVEL DATES RECEIVED

$3,184.95
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

The Adams adoption adventure actually spans several years. It was a desire Diane had since she was young. Diane always loved children and raised a wonderful son (Nick). However, with pay equivalent to a teacher and single, it took several years to actually be in a position to be able to afford adoption. Diane saved over the years, but hadn’t quite gathered the entire amount needed to cover the expenses. There were garage sales and she grew a garden and canned the vegetables to save money here and there. Slowly her nest egg grew. Then sadly, her brother passed away after a long illness. Her brother was aware of her desire to adopt, and Diane was surprised to learn he provided a small sum of money to jump start the process. He would have been so happy to know that he had a part in her adventure.

In 2009, after what seemed forever, Diane began her first adoption. The referral was an incredibly small, sickly little girl in Eastern Europe. At the time of the first visit this little one-year-old was not able to sit independently, crawl, stand or support herself. She had digestive problems and was not able to absorb food adequately. It was felt she possibly has celiac disease or some other digestive disorder. She was failure to thrive, and the international adoption medical specialist said she had severe global delays. On the first visit, this little one looked up at Diane when she held her and just smiled. Diane knew that this little girl belonged with her. The adoption was complete in 2010. It was later learned that this little one was hearing impaired. Today, Makenzie is thriving in every way. While she wears bilateral hearing aids and does have celiac’s disease, her daughter reads in the top of her class and does equally as well in math. She enjoys gymnastics and is beautiful, loving and amazing in every way. She adores having a big brother, and he adores her.

In 2014, Diane began to feel that tug to add to her family again and pursue another adoption. She started having garage sales and her co-workers helped by donating items. She had a pastry fund raiser and even posted a go fund me page. Makenzie helped by selling homemade brownies at the garage sale. One day, in 2016, while Diane was looking on a web site that posts profiles of orphans with special needs, she saw a picture of a sweet little girl (Layla), in Eastern Europe. Layla had a rough start with club feet (now corrected), microcephaly and a genetic eye defect. She also had developmental delays, but she seemed to be a perfect fit for the Adams growing family. The Adams family is excited to add this sweet little girl to their family but still has a few financial hurdles before they can get there. We hope that others will want to make the difference in the life of this special little girl as well.

6/21/2017 — TRAVEL DATES RECEIVED

$748.42
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

William and Lee-Ann Cotner had a whirlwind romance that has set the tone for their adventurous, fun loving family. William is an Active Duty Military Police officer. Lee-Ann is currently a stay at home mom but, with a background in education, which is where her heart completely fell in love with her students blessed by Down Syndrome. They always knew they wanted to adopt but, always dreamed it was when their four biological kiddos were older. One day in 2015, sitting at the breakfast table and scrolling Facebook, they came across the profile of little boy on Reece’s Rainbow and they immediately knew he was to be their son. In 2016 Harvey became an official member of the family. Harvey has been such an amazing blessing to their family. He is rocking his Down Syndrome and brings such joy to everyone his smile meets.

The Cotner children IMMEDIATELY began asking for another brother or sister. But, so soon after Harvey’s adoption financially, William and Lee-Ann knew it would be best to wait. Lee-Ann came across Martin’s profile and felt that tug. She kept going back to his profile reading it over and over for several days. She made the inquiry to the agency and saw the most precious little boy’s face. Three year old Charlotte walked over the computer… looked at the picture and said “Oh THERE’S my baby brother”… and that was the sign of all signs that he in fact was meant to be their son. They live by that saying that there is ALWAYS a way…you just have to believe and remember God bless the broken road.

William, Lee-Ann and their five children, Peyton, Parker, Charlotte, Quinn and Harvey are so overjoyed to have you as part of the adventure bringing Martin home. They are grateful for those that show their support both financially and spiritually. Every donation will leave a lasting impact on their hearts and helping bring Martin home into his forever family, where we will be a cherished and welcomed member of the family, who they can’t wait to see shine!

6/21/2017–TRAVELING JULY 7

$4,901.51
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Justin and Codi Howell are high school sweethearts who have now been married for nine years. Codi has wanted to have a large family and to pursue adoption ever since she was a little girl and Justin was adopted himself. Adoption has always been something that is close to their hearts.

The Howells currently have four children at home and one in heaven. Anna is seven, Levi is four, Amelia is three, and Claire is two. Both Amelia and Claire have Down syndrome. The couple adopted Amelia from Eastern Europe in 2015. She has thrived in their home and the Howells feel so blessed to be her parents. Their daughter, Emelyn, was born with a very rare condition and passed away due to complications in 2010.

In May 2016, while scrolling through her Facebook news feed, Codi saw a picture of a sibling group that was available for summer hosting. Not knowing much about hosting but feeling a tug on her heart and an instant connection to the children in the picture, Codi sent the picture and summary to Justin who immediately felt the same connection. It was the siblings’ last chance for hosting and the couple had just one week to raise the full amount of funds needed for the children’s hosting fees. They prayed and God provided the full amount in just THREE DAYS! The couple hosted the children in their home for five weeks. Their love for them was instantaneous and all members of the family bonded quickly and easily … it was meant to be! Saying “goodbye” to the children who so quickly became their own was one of the hardest things the couple has ever done. The Howells are working quickly to be reunited with their children.

The Howells appreciate your financial support as they, once again, “step out of the boat” in obedience.

Things in ‘Alexis’s’ country didn’t go as planned, and we are very disappointed to tell everyone that ‘Alexis’ is not going to be joining our family. After working towards her adoption for a year, we are obviously upset.

Through a very difficult time, we decided to remain open to the possibility of adopting a different child who could still be a good fit for our family. Angie was able to review the files of waiting children while still in country, and we gravitated towards one of the available children after some discussion about what we felt we could handle. Angie was able to spend a significant amount of time with him at his orphanage, and we felt comfortable making the decision to move forward.

We are now ready to introduce everyone to ‘Ashton’. Angie was fortunate enough to celebrate his 10th birthday with him while in country, and our hope is that he will join our family forever, before Christmas this year. ‘Ashton’ has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, and bilateral second to third degree neurosensory hearing loss, so he communicates solely with the sign language used in his country. Angie and I have a lot to do to get ready for ‘Ashton’ to come home!

Because of all the unknowns in the process due to recent changes in the government, Angie had to fly to ‘Alexis’ and ‘Ashton’s’ country on a one way ticket, and spent much, much longer than expected in country, so this trip was quite a bit more expensive than we had anticipated. How long she had to be there also means that she was forced to take quite a bit of time off of work, and we have concerns that when she goes back to bring ‘Ashton’ home, the situation will be similar. Thank you to everyone who has contributed towards our adoption so far, and if anyone has the desire and the means to help us moving forward we greatly appreciate it.

We greatly appreciate all of the prayers and encouragement we have received throughout this adoption process. We would also love everyone’s continued prayers while we move forward, and try to prepare for the new normal for our family.

6/19/17—FIRST TRIP JUNE 24

$4,576.37
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Jacob and Rebecca are the couple that everyone looks up to and inspires to be because they know each other so well and have the most open communication. Rebecca is very sweet and caring. Jacob is very supportive and understanding. They met online when Rebecca was 18 and Jacob was 19. Instantly there was a strong connection between the two and they got married in 2006. Their relationship grew and they had 4 beautiful girls but felt their family was destined for more as they grew by 3 more girls last year. Jacob and Rebecca’s strengths to support their growing family are through their faith and dedication to God and their family. Their weakness is the same as any family that has seen the inside of an orphanage; that their hearts are forever burdened with the never ending suffering of orphans that will never know the love of a mother and father. They strongly feel led to the ministry of adoption even more now that they have seen first hand how amazing adoption can be when they brought home 3 beautiful sisters from Ukraine in 2016. Overall, they feel their adoption experience has been one of the best as their girls have integrated into their family so easily thanks to the ministry staff and other orphanage staff who did an amazing job preparing them for a life with a family to love and support them forever. This next trip they intend to add two more wonderful girls (biological sisters) into their ever expanding and loving home. Patiently waiting for their days to travel, they need all the help and support possible to bring these girls home and welcome them to a lifetime of family, friendship, and happiness.

7/10/2017–APPT on AUGUST 7

$7,505.99
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

We are the Millward family. Carolyn and Eddie have been married for 26 years and have two incredible boys; Christian 18 and Brian 13. We cannot forget the other members of the family; their cat and dog Goober and Maggie.

Adoption has been a consideration for many years, but a recent blog rekindled the fire and pointed them in the direction of Reece’s Rainbow. Soon after, a Facebook post focusing on the plight of Emmaline really struck a chord with the family. Emmaline is an 11-year-old with cerebral palsy, and the thought of her spending the rest of her life institutionalized was not something they could accept. A good amount of thought and even more prayer led them to the decision to move forward with the adoption.

Please pray for Emmaline that she will soon be home with her family, receiving the love and medical treatment she deserves.

“Grace is love that cares and stoops and rescues” – John Stott

6/8/17 — APPT on JULY 18

$782.45
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Martha and Mike live on a family farm in North Carolina. They have 2 children, one of whom they found on Reece’s Rainbow way back in 2009. Their daughter was completely deaf when adopted and now hears with the aid of Cochlear Implants. They knew their adoption story was not over but had not heard clearly the call of the Lord again until 2 years ago. They hosted a boy who lived in the same country from which they adopted their daughter. The hosting did not go well, and they were unsure about how to proceed. They prayed for this child when he went back to the orphanage and helped a wonderful local family with his needs that were not being met in the orphanage. During this past winter, the Evans family visited his orphanage to provide supplies and gifts.

Then they did something they never thought they would do…. they hosted the same boy, now a teenager, again. This time, the once scared, angry boy had seen and felt unconditional love. He knew people prayed for him and believed in him. He finally knew someone cared about him. His hosting experience went MUCH better!

When he left to return to his country, the Evans family prayed about whether they were supposed to move forward to adopt him. A few months later, the answer was a YES from the Lord. This young man was to be added to the Evans family!

Mike and Martha understand the challenges to be faced by adding an older child to the family and will do all they can to equip this boy to become a man of God. He knows he is already loved by God, and the Evanses long to show him the love of a family!

The Johnston family is excited to be adopting for the second time. Chris and Julianna have been married for almost 10 years. Chris works for an international relief organization, and Julianna works at home, educating and caring for their 5 children.

One day, the couple read Stephen’s story through Wide-Awake’s post, and after learning more about him, they knew they would go as far as God would take them in bringing Stephen into their family. God graciously introduced them to the blessing of special needs when their son Isaac was born in 2010, and they have since welcomed their daughter Providence with Down syndrome into the family through adoption two years ago.

The Johnstons are uniquely blessed with a community of friends and family who support, celebrate, and value life. They are grateful for others they continue to meet through organizations like Reece’s Rainbow.

8/5/17 — COURT PASSED!!

$7,357.11
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

We are Robert and Jennifer Clements. We live in Texas and have been married for almost four years. We both have a special love for children and a heart for serving our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We have each been involved in our nephews and nieces lives growing up and have served in children’s ministry at our church as well as doing VBS with kids on mission trips to South Texas, Cuba, South Carolina, Guatemala to name a few places across the world. We have been unable to conceive children naturally, yet both have a strong desire to grow our family. Adoption is prevalent on both sides of our immediate families and something we talked about while dating. We were introduced to an orphan hosting organization through Robert’s older sister and about a year ago we learned the story of 4 precious boys in need of a family. They had been living in an orphanage in Eastern Europe for over 6 years. We hosted the 3 younger boys (the oldest has been adopted by another family) for 5 weeks last summer and they captured our hearts. We were told a story about the youngest a couple of Christmases ago who all he wanted was “joy”, “love”, and “peace”. He told us our family gave him joy, love, and peace. We have felt God’s hand orchestrating the entire process of Him choosing us to give these sweet, active boys a family they deserve and to love them unconditionally as He loves us.

8/17/17— COURT SUCCESSFULLY PASSED

$321.25
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Jason and Rebekah Waller have been married for almost 14 years and have 4 beautiful children. Adoption was only something they had discussed briefly as a “maybe one day” or “we might eventually” kind of notion. One day, after following a Reece’s Rainbow link a friend had posted on facebook, Rebekah came face to face with Tyler. She immediately felt a connection, but knew she couldn’t make that decision alone. After weeks of crying, praying, and constantly thinking about this precious boy, Jason agreed that they should contact someone for more info.

It’s been tough, but they can already see the great rewards. Their kids (especially the oldest) are super excited! Please pray for the process and for sweet Tyler.

6/1/2017 — AWAITING COURT DATE

$3,760.49
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

The Waller family has also received an Older Child Grant of $10,000 for Tyler.

The small seed of adoption was planted in the Holloway family during an annual dinner for a local ministry in 2010 and soon blossomed into a growing awareness that God was not done creating their family yet. Married for five years and raising their three children in the panhandle of Florida, Lenny and Roberta started the process to adopt a child with special needs from China in 2011 but listening to God’s prompting, changed their path to domestic infant adoption. Their family was thrilled to welcome baby Zoe into their family in Spring 2013 and they continue an open adoption relationship with her birth parents. But Lenny and Roberta knew in their hearts their family wasn’t yet complete. Roberta would sit in the nursery, rocking Zoe in the early hours of the morning and knew God was calling them to adopt again. Roberta says, “At that time, my only prayer was OK, but not yet.” In the fall of 2015 they knew it was time again, but felt drawn to teenagers who were running out of time to find a family. Lenny says, “With both of us working in local law enforcement we have seen how important family, good role models, and a support system are and what a positive impact in can make, even if it’s later in life.” They completed the process to adopt from state foster care, but again felt God calling them in a different direction. They became aware of a teenage boy who needed a family through friends who had adopted a sibling group of 3 from the same orphanage in Eastern Europe. They saw his picture, knew he was supposed to be a part of their family and started the process in February 2017 to bring him home. They are flying through the paperwork and praying to welcome him home this year.

9/26/2017 — TRAVEL DATES RECEIVED; APPT OCT 23

$3,957.75
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Darrel and Shonette have been married for 28 ½ years. Darrel is retired AF, and is now in law enforcement. Shonette is a stay at home mom and homeschools five children who are still in school. They are active in First Baptist Church, in their city.

They have ten children, four biological and six adopted. They have always been led to adopt overseas. They finally took that leap of faith back in 2009. They started out to adopt one little girl and that fell threw. Then they picked another little girl, which could not be adopted because paper work wasn’t ready for her. In that entire process, they wanted to God to lead them to the one that was to be their daughter. Their agency sent them five more little girls. They prayed that whichever one was paper ready, was to be their daughter. In April 2010, they landed with their little girl from Ukraine, AnnaKae Hope. AnnaKae was weeks from being transferred. They knew AnnaKae was meant to be their daughter. They have been praying for years about adopting another one so AnnaKae could have a little sister.

They were praying about Priscilla on Reece’s Rainbow. Then Shonette heard she was going to be transferred in August. She knew it was time to jump again. God has called them to a place that a lot of people don’t want to go. Darrel and Shonette have a heart for orphans and know it’s their passion. They are rushing to get everything done, to get to Priscilla before she is transferred. They are excited about adding another little one to their family and can’t wait to get her home.

9/26/2017 — TRAVEL DATE RECEIVED

$2,701.51
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Bernie and Marabeth met in 2009 while working together at a helicopter plant. Eighteen months later they were married in a small ceremony surrounded by their five children, Meghan, Nicole, Brian, Joe and Shane. A little bit later Michael, who is blessed with Down Syndrome, came along. Shortly after that came the youngest, Maggie. Adoption was never something they knew much about until 2012 when a family from their church adopted a child through Reece’s Rainbow. After learning, through the other family’s journey, more about orphan situation and seeing the kids listed on Reece’s Rainbow, Marabeth was deeply moved and envisioned someday adopting a child with Down Syndrome. However, at the time she was pregnant, with a one year-old, and there were several seemingly impossible obstacles to overcome.

Still, she prayed over the next few years for God to either open the doors for them to adopt a child with Down Syndrome or else to give her a more practical vision for their lives. Then on November 18th, 2017 she felt an unusual urgency to pray about adopting a child again and this time she asked God to show her the next day in a specific way if they were meant to adopt or else she would drop the idea. Well, the next day mountains started moving out of the way for them as they started seriously investigating the adoption process. On December 27th, 2016 they saw Bella on a friend’s Facebook page and felt would she be a great fit in their family. Her siblings are all very excited to meet her, especially her younger sister Maggie who has been very busy making a giant stack of drawings to give Bella when she gets home, as well as big plans to share bedrooms and ballet classes. Bernie and Marabeth are also anxious to get her home and help her to learn to live as a beloved daughter in their family. They truly appreciate any and all support, prayers and well-wishes as they go through this process to bring their daughter home.

9/18/17—TRIP ONE SEPT 22

$2,812.46
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

Chris and Amy have been married for twelve years, and have hearts for growing their family through adoption. They have five young children, aged 1-9 years old, four of whom are adopted from Ethiopia, USA and China. They believe that family is more than blood, and built through love. Though some may say their hands are full, they firmly believe their hearts have more love to share.

With joyful hearts they ask for your prayerful support as their family embarks on a new chapter of life’s journey: bringing home a ten year old daughter from Asia. They are ever thankful for all who advocated for “Calina” over the past eight years until God prepared their hearts to bring her home.

The Weatons have chosen to name her Teresa, after Saint Teresa of Calcutta, a woman who “got it” with being Christ to those around her, and inspired us to change the world with little acts of big love. St Teresa’s Feast Day is September 5th, the day Chris and Amy got engaged!

The Weatons’ yearn to have her home, but if adoption has taught them anything time and time again, it’s to trust in His timing! Until then, their five children take turns with Teresa’s picture next to them in an empty chair at the dinner table each night, and pray that she can feel their love from across the ocean.

9/14/17 —TA RECEIVED

$2,066.52
has been donated towards the cost of our adoption!

Make the most of your gift, consider sending a check! Online donations to children with committed families incur a 3% PayPal transaction fee.